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Kennedy’s Foreign Policy and the Cuban Missile Crisis

Kennedy’s Foreign Policy and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Castro’s Rule of Cuba.

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Kennedy’s Foreign Policy and the Cuban Missile Crisis

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  1. Kennedy’s Foreign Policy and the Cuban Missile Crisis

  2. Castro’s Rule of Cuba • Fidel Castro has recently led a revolution in Cuba, overthrowing Batista (a capitalistic but brutal leader the US supported) and creating a new government. Castro has broken up commercial farms into communes and nationalized oil. American sugar planters and oil refineries are hurting. In addition, Castro is beginning to rely on Soviet aid, and like the Soviet Union, is repressing dissent. You are a member of the Executive Committee, known as ExCom, a group of Kennedy’s closest advisors gathered to help him work through the developing crisis in Cuba. How should Kennedy respond to these recent developments?

  3. How did Kennedy respond?

  4. “Kennedy’s” Response

  5. Finding Missiles (October 14, 1962) Low-level photograph of 6 Frog (Luna) missile transporters under a tree at a military camp near Remedios, Cuba. These could reach the US in a matter of minutes.

  6. Responding to Missiles • The president has asked you (ExCom) to assess these five possible responses to the missiles in Cuba: 1. Ignore the missiles. 2. Initiate a naval blockade of Cuba to prevent Soviet ships from bringing more supplies to the island. 3. Invade Cuba. 4. Launch a conventional airstrike against missile sites 5. Launch a nuclear attack against missile sites 6. Send an emissary to discuss the matter with Khrushchev (leader of Russia). How would you prioritize these possible responses? What are the positive and negative aspects of each? Which response would you suggest the US takes?

  7. What was Kennedy’s initial response?

  8. Kennedy’s Initial Response

  9. Possible Decisions During the Blockade • As a member of ExCom, respond to the four situations the president might face, keeping in mind his ultimate goal of removing the missiles without military conflict. Then offer your recommendations for what the president should do if each of these situations arises. What should the president do if… 1. The Soviets fire on American naval vessels enforcing the blockade? 2. The Soviets attempt to break the blockade? 3. The Soviets wait it out for weeks or months until the crisis subsides? 4. Cuban commanders launch one of the missiles already in Cuba toward the United States? When/if should the President inform the public of the crisis and blockade?

  10. Kennedy’s Plan

  11. Khrushchev's Letter to Kennedy (October 26) • As a member of ExCom, you learn that Khrushchev has sent a letter and an unofficial emissary to inform President Kennedy of the Soviet Union’s willingness to withdraw its missiles from Cuba if the US ends its blockade, promises never to invade Cuba again, and withdraws its missiles from Turkey (an American ally in the Cold War). What should Kennedy do? Should he accept all of the demands, some of them, or none? Why?

  12. Khrushchev's Letter to Kennedy

  13. How did Kennedy respond?

  14. Kennedy’s Response

  15. After the Cuban Missile Crisis

  16. Kennedy’s Foreign Policy • Committed to containing communism • Flexible response policy • Increased defense spending on both conventional and nuclear arms • Oversaw Bay of Pigs Invasion • Resolved Cuban Missile Crisis though criticized from both sides • Unable to stop building of Berlin Wall • Tried to ease tensions with Soviet Union with hot line and Limited Test Ban Treaty • Supported unpopular anti-communist leader of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, and sent 16,000 military advisors to Vietnam to train South Vietnamese troops though later pledged to withdraw US forces How would you rate Kennedy’s foreign policy?

  17. How successful was Kennedy in containing communism? • Very • Somewhat • Ineffective

  18. How did Kennedy affect Cold War relations? • Contributed to/expanded the conflict • Kept conflict at bay but didn’t really improve much • Eased tensions and improved US-Soviet relations

  19. What do you see as the most important foreign policy goals in the early 1960s? • Containing the spread of communism • Keeping the US out of war • Ending the arms race • Sending humanitarian aid to nations in need

  20. Which foreign policy crisis/event did Kennedy handle the best? • Bay of Pigs Invasion • Cuban Missile Crisis • Berlin Crisis • Arms Race • Vietnam

  21. How would you judge Kennedy's handling of foreign affairs? • Very strong • Strong • Sufficient • Weak • Harmful

  22. Which New Frontier proposal was Kennedy able to achieve? • Medical care for the elderly • Urban education reform • Legislation protecting civil rights • Increased minimum wage and extended unemployment benefits

  23. How would you judge Kennedy's handling of domestic affairs? • Very strong • Strong • Sufficient • Weak • Harmful

  24. What was Kennedy’s greatest achievement as president? • Creation of Peace Corps • Creation of Alliance for Progress • Creation of NASA’s Apollo program • Ending the Cuban Missile Crisis • Other

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